V845 boys' cross country all-stars: New heights for Peterson

Having the belief that you can win is just as important as having the physical ability to win.

Ken McMillan

Having the belief that you can win is just as important as having the physical ability to win.

Warwick's Dan Peterson discovered he could compete with some of the top runners in New York during his sophomore track and field season, and coming off his state-meet appearance in the steeplechase he carried a lot of confidence into cross country.

Peterson improved his best time at Bear Mountain State Park by 11 seconds, completing a sweep of the Orange County league meet and Section 9 Class A championship, and he finished in the top 40 at the state public school meet.

"I thought my season was very successful,'' said Peterson, the Varsity845 boys' cross country athlete of the year. "I am very proud of what I did this season. I surpassed some of the place goals and I did hit my time goal.''

Peterson's win in the county meet was impressive as he erased a large gap on Middletown's Alex Shodai and won an exciting 50-meter sprint to the finish, his body churning with emotion.

"He's got a lot of passion,'' Warwick coach Mike Potter said of Peterson, 17. "He really wears his emotions on his sleeve and you can see it in his running. It's a positive approach for him. He runs for his teammates, he doesn't run for himself. He really loves what he does and he enjoys it.''

A week later, Peterson ran a similar race in the sectional meet and took the lead from Shodai even earlier.

"I believe without that win,'' Peterson said, "I wouldn't have been so happy because it might have been a one-time thing. But I proved to myself and everyone else that I was better.''

Now, when Warwick athletic director Greg Sirico sees Peterson in the school hallways, he calls out, "Hey, there's the county champ.'' Peterson laughs at the acknowledgement, and he is quick to praise the Warwick environment as a prime reason for his success.

"I think the entire Warwick program really made me into the runner that I am,'' Peterson said. "It starts in modified, the way they make you believe in the practice and everything. And when you get to high school, coach Potter does not let anyone slack. He knows the potential that everyone has and he (gets it) out of everyone. I think if I was somewhere else, I don't think I would have achieved the victory.''

The legacy actually started in the Peterson household. Older brother Steven got younger siblings Aaron (now a freshman runner at Xavier) and Dan into running, and it was Aaron who pushed Dan to train harder.

"Most of my passion for running comes from Aaron because he is such a hard worker,'' Dan said. "He made me love the sport and he made me so much better than I thought I could be. Without him, I don't think I would be where I am right now.''

Potter will continue to train Peterson as a 2-mile runner and steeplechase competitor during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.

"The sky's the limit for him,'' Potter said.

Peterson realizes all eyes will be upon him as he tries to repeat next fall.

"That is definitely a major goal for me,'' Peterson said. "Just because I'm the biggest competitor doesn't mean other people won't step up to the plate.''